I promise: this is the last post related to Tiger Woods for a while, at least.

BUT… Here is Nike’s statement regarding Tiger’s hiatus from golf and his other, uh, issues:

“Tiger has been part of Nike for more than a decade. He is the best golfer in the world and one of the greatest athletes of his era. We look forward to his return to golf. He and his family have Nike’s full support.”

This raises several intriguing questions:

1. Is Nike saying that the fact that best golfer in the world is also one of the most egregious serial adulterers in the world doesn’t matter to the company, and shouldn’t matter to its customers?
2. Is Nike saying that when America’s youth choose to “be like Tiger” by wearing his shoes, they are capable of making the distinction between his sports achievements and his character?
3. Is Nike saying that having a man who courts porn stars and prostitutes behind his wife’s back as its representative in the marketplace is A-OK?
4. Is Nike saying that there is nothing Tiger Woods could do off the golf course that would make him an inappropriate representative, in its estimation?
5. If there is something that Nike would find unseemly in Tiger’s conduct, what would it be?
6. When Nike says it supports Tiger Woods, what does that mean? Does it support his golfing? Does it support his adultery, lying, and misrepresentations of his image?
7. When Nike says it supports Tiger’s family, does it mean it supports the family like Tiger has?
8. If the family decides Tiger Woods has disqualified himself as a husband and father, will Nike support it then?

A corporation that is satisfied to have its public face include a cheat and a liar has dubious values itself, and is likely to possess a corporate culture that is far too likely to accept corruption and dishonesty in its midst.